1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for the exchange of batteries which are arranged in a media conveying robot which is located in an automated data-storage library.
In the data-processing technology, automated data-storage libraries are frequently utilized for the storage of various data media which are employed in data-processing systems. Generally, such data-processing systems necessitate the provision of considerable amounts of data-storage capacity which, upon occasion, may be needed rapidly, and stored in memory and hard disk drives, and whereby the various data may not be necessarily provided in a rapid manner. Consequently, data which are not required to be employed in an immediate manner may constitute frequently accessed data whereby the storage thereof may be in removable data-storage media, such as magnetic tape cartridges, optical disk cartridges or the like, which may be stored in so-called cells provided in the automated data-storage libraries.
Ordinarily, such libraries provide an adequate amount of access to considerable quantities of the data-storage media, the latter of which are generally stored in storage shelves or cells and are accessed by one or more accessors and delivered by therewith associated grippers or pickers to data-storage drives in the automated data-storage libraries. Potentially, an automated data-storage library may store in excess of 6,000 cartridges, which although even if not frequently accessed, may be needed rapidly at certain times. Basically, the accessors for conveying and transferring the data-storage media, for example; such as storage automation devices in the form of as the 3584 Ultra Scalable Tape Library (a trademark of IBM), employ cartridge and handling assemblies which are frequently referred to as either grippers or pickers in the technology. These electromechanical devices, in effect will grab or engage a cartridge for transport from one location to another whereby some type of calibration sensor is frequently mounted on the cartridge gripper so as to be able to measure the relationship between the theoretical position and the actual position of the gripper. This, in essence, reduces the numerous physical tolerances encountered in the construction and functioning of the automatic data-storage library, and as a result reduces structural and operating expenditures, while concurrently improving upon the reliability in the handling and transporting of the cartridges.
Basically, the electro-mechanical devices which transport such tape or optical disk cartridges from one location to another within the automatic data-storage library are arranged on a robot which is adapted to travel the full length of the library, and wherein the robot receives both electrical power and information as to the location to which or from which it is to move and what it is to do in its physical applications, through the intermediary of a cable connection. Consequently, in order to ensure the ready and unobstructed movement of the robot along the entire length of the automated data-storage library, the utilized cable limits the design of the expandable library to a lengthy rectangle. Moreover, the cable also requires replacement when the library is extended with additional frames to reach new and greater lengths for the library, thereby resultingly incurring additional costs and operating expenditures for this purpose. A desirable aspect would be to be able to eliminate the cable or tethering of the robot by eliminating the cable arrangement and providing a wireless-operated robot which essentially must be supplied continuously with electrical operating power without any interruption in the functioning and motion of the robot through the extent of the library.
Although this kind of untethered operation of the robot may be implemented by means of equipping the robot with battery packs or various similar types of electrical accumulators, the battery pack or batteries require to be periodically recharged as it or they are drained without causing any interference in the continuous performance of the automatic data-storage library, afforded by the robot, which must always be ready for access by an external user for the inputting and/or retrieving of data which are stored in various cells housing the tape cartridges. Inasmuch as it is important that since the already presently stringent demands for automatic data-storage library performance and reliability are constantly increasing, it is of vital significance that the wireless electrical power source be continuously available to the robot without any interruption, as a result of which the robot does not have the opportunity to be seated on a charger for the batteries over any lengthy or appreciable periods of time.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Presently various types of robotic devices are available and/or employed in industry and in the technology which are adapted to provide or impart movement to different types of components in diverse types of applications and structures, including automated data-storage libraries.
Carpenter U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,798 B1 discloses an automated data-storage library with a wireless robotic positioning system, and in which a robot possesses grippers for engaging and retrieving information tape cartridges which are stored within various cells in the library confines. To that effect, the robot is adapted to receive wireless control signals which will convey and locate the robot including the gripper structures thereof at specified locations so as to either convey tape cartridges into cells of the automated data-storage library or to retrieve such tape cartridges from various cells for purposes defined by users as is well known in the technology. Generally, such a robot may be equipped with either batteries or various external cable-supplied electrical power in order to facilitate the operation thereof in a continuous manner, such electrical supply not being defined as being continuous in the specification of the patent.
Movsesian U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,454 discloses a mobile robotic arm which may be operated in conjunction with a wheelchair or the like, and wherein electrical power may be supplied thereto through the provision of a battery arranged within the framework of the robotic structure. Apparently, upon the battery being drained or low in power, an effort must be exerted to remove the drained battery and replace the latter with a fully charged battery or similar type of electrical power source, which entails a considerable amount of downtime or inactive periods during which the robotic arm cannot be gainfully employed. That type of intermittent suppliability of electrical power to the robotic construction cannot be accepted in current highly sophisticated automated data-storage libraries, in which it is always necessary to provide a constant source of power to a robot or similar structure engaged in transporting and retrieving information and data which may be provided on tape cartridges.
White et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,826 discloses a remotely controlled and/or powered mobile robot which is tethered to a cable supplying electrical power and which may be moved to various locations within a confined area. Upon any potential power failure or outage, a standby battery-type construction may temporarily provide the robot with electrical power so as to continue functioning thereof. These sources of power may comprise a series, such as six rechargeable batteries which when drained or low must be replaced with fully charged batteries. This, again, entails considerable amount of inoperative or downtime while the batteries are being replaced by other fully charged batteries, thereby inhibiting any continuous operation of the mobile robot.
Koch et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,775 discloses a self-contained mobile device which is reprogrammable so as to enable automated movement during the functioning thereof. As in the previous publications, this quite likely entails the use of chargeable batteries as a power source, which requires shutting down of the robotic structure during battery replacement with fully charged batteries.